Place and TimeProcessing of Pitch in the Context of CochlearDysfunction
Project Number5F30DC020916-03
Former Number1F30DC020916-01
Contact PI/Project LeaderSIVAPRAKASAM, ANDREW
Awardee OrganizationPURDUE UNIVERSITY
Description
Abstract Text
Abstract:
Sensorineural hearing loss occurs in 15% of American adults and current treatment protocols are often guided
by limited and archaic diagnostics. Not all types of sensorineural hearing loss are identical in physiology and a
major priority of current auditory research is to innovate in the space of precision auditory diagnostics and
treatments. Understanding how specific patterns of damage to the cochlea or auditory nerve variably impair the
perception of different sound features is critical to improve treatments for hearing-impaired individuals. The
history of auditory research has led to considerable insight as to how anatomic components of the auditory
periphery, namely inner hair cells (IHCs), outer hair cells (OHCs), and the cochlear synapse function together to
transduce, amplify, and code simple sounds. However, there exists considerable gaps in our knowledge of how
these peripheral components are responsible for maintaining the fidelity of more complex auditory phenomena
and perception. Pitch, the perceived “highness” or “lowness” of a given sound, is an example of a complex
psychoacoustic phenomenon. Pitch cues are used to listen to and compose music and to process vowels, identify
talkers, and convey emotion. Without intact pitch perception, conversation becomes emotionless, a symphony
becomes a cacophony. While pitch has been extensively studied perceptually, our knowledge of the underlying
neurophysiology of pitch remains mostly hypothetical. Three categories of pitch theories attempt to explain pitch
coding in terms of the tonotopic organization of our auditory system (place), the temporal information present in
neural firing patterns (time), or a combination of these (place-time). We plan to assess these theories in the
context of cochlear pathologies that are expected to differentially alter place and timing cues, hence developing
a more comprehensive understanding of pitch. Based on the literature, our central hypothesis is that deficits in
time and place coding both affect the neural coding and perception of pitch, but with distorted place coding
playing a stronger role. We will test this hypothesis by using animal models of OHC, IHC, cochlear synapse
damage, and Distorted Tonotopy to investigate SNHL effects on pitch-related electrophysiology (Aim 1). OHC
damage primarily disrupts place cues, while IHC and cochlear synapse damage alter timing cues. We will then
compare this animal electrophysiology to identical measures in humans with normal and impaired hearing,
evaluating the implications on behavioral pitch discrimination (Aim 2). Finally, we will develop four statistical
models to identify how variations in pitch coding and perception are predicted by non-invasive assays of hearing
loss and profiles of SNHL (Aim 3). This cross-species approach moves the field forward by testing well-
established pitch theories in the context of SNHL and by opening doors to better identifying the functional
consequences of individual variations in hearing ability. Overall, the cross-species design of the proposed work
will develop my potential as a physician-scientist, strengthening my ability to design translational experiments
that use ideal laboratory models of neurological disorders to predict clinically relevant outcomes.
Public Health Relevance Statement
Project Narrative
Our perception of pitch is not only important for listening to and creating music, but also for communication and
processing the complex sounds that surround us. However, our neurophysiological understanding of pitchprocessing and how it is degraded with hearing impairment is limited. The proposed study utilizes a cross-species
approach to characterize deficits in pitch coding and perception that occur due to various forms of cochlear
damage, which will advance our understanding of the physiological bases for individual differences in the
perception of every-day sounds with sensorineural hearing impairment.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
CFDA Code
173
DUNS Number
072051394
UEI
YRXVL4JYCEF5
Project Start Date
01-January-2023
Project End Date
31-December-2025
Budget Start Date
01-January-2025
Budget End Date
31-December-2025
Project Funding Information for 2025
Total Funding
$53,994
Direct Costs
$53,994
Indirect Costs
Year
Funding IC
FY Total Cost by IC
2025
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
$53,994
Year
Funding IC
FY Total Cost by IC
Sub Projects
No Sub Projects information available for 5F30DC020916-03
Publications
Publications are associated with projects, but cannot be identified with any particular year of the project or fiscal year of funding. This is due to the continuous and cumulative nature of knowledge generation across the life of a project and the sometimes long and variable publishing timeline. Similarly, for multi-component projects, publications are associated with the parent core project and not with individual sub-projects.
No Publications available for 5F30DC020916-03
Patents
No Patents information available for 5F30DC020916-03
Outcomes
The Project Outcomes shown here are displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Institutes of Health. NIH has not endorsed the content below.
No Outcomes available for 5F30DC020916-03
Clinical Studies
No Clinical Studies information available for 5F30DC020916-03
News and More
Related News Releases
No news release information available for 5F30DC020916-03
History
No Historical information available for 5F30DC020916-03
Similar Projects
No Similar Projects information available for 5F30DC020916-03